What If
by Kurissyma san Tybalt
Summary: It's a cold, foggy evening in Central and it's pouring with rain. There's no way Riza is letting her Colonel drive home now. She invites him to stay in her guest room but Riza's daughter seems intent on fixing them up... wait a minute. Riza's DAUGHTER?


**Dear Faithful Readers,**

**I had this idea on the bus on the way to school and scribbled down the beginnings of it in Tutorial in my maths book… my maths teacher was not pleased when she saw it on the back of my notes on 'Pythagoras in 3D'… I'd forgotten until she handed back the homework. Anywho, here ya go!**

**Xx-Rekka-xX**

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**What If**

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"Are you sure this is okay, Hawkeye-Chuui?" asked Roy nervously as he ducked into her apartment, out of the pouring rain.

"Don't be ridiculous, Taisa," she retorted, somewhat snappishly, "it's dark, wet and foggy, if you think I'm letting you drive home tonight you've got another think coming. Besides," she just had to add, "you're useless in the rain."

Roy was about to protest when Sheska walked out of what was apparently the kitchen, smiling, "Good evening, Riza… uhm, you too, Taisa."

"You live with Miss Sheska, Chuui?"

"She's my neighbour," Riza explained, nodding at her in acknowledgement, "and she's babysitting. How was she, Sheska?"

"An angel as usual," replied the young woman, still looking at Roy oddly.

"That's good," Riza reached into the pocket of her black overcoat and handed Sheska her pay, before nodding over at Roy, "you won't be telling anyone at work about this tomorrow."

"Of course not, Riza… but, if I may… when did you both-?"

"We didn't," said Riza sternly. "But it would be a sin to leave him out there in that weather… still, nobody hears about this, okay?" Sheska nodded quickly and scuttled out the door and up the stairs in something of a hurry. Riza waited until she heard the front door close before turning back to Roy, "there's a guest room down the corridor and to the right. I'll be back in a moment."

Ignoring her instructions, Roy followed her curiously as she walked down the corridor to another door at the end and went inside.

"Are you asleep yet, baby?" she whispered, leaning over the five-year-old girl and pulling the covers up to her neck.

"Almost, Mommy…"

"Good girl," said Riza, kiss the child's straightening and turning toward the door, where she saw Roy looking on in evident surprise. "_What?_" she asked, seemingly irritated.

Roy just grinned, "what's her name?"

"Maro, sir."

"And she's… yours?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

Not wanting to insult her, Roy shook his head quickly, "no, of course not! I just didn't know you were married."

"I'm not, sir."

"You mean you… _you_ of all people-?!"

"She's adopted, Taisa."

Roy left out a soft sigh of relief and Riza glared at him.

"Mommy?" the little girl murmured softly, drawing her attention.

"It's bedtime, Maro," said Riza gently, brushing a strand of the girl's thin blonde hair back behind her ears.

"But who's that?"

"This is my friend, Taisa Roy Mustang," Riza explained as simply as she could.

"Hello," said Maro softly, almost warily.

"Hey, kid."

Maro stared at him for a few moments more, then smiled, "Mommy talks about you."

Roy looked interested and Riza held her breath, "she does?"

"Oh yeah," said Maro, eyes twinkling, "she says that you're a lazy jerk."

"Oh…"

"Sure, tell him the worst of it, Maro," Riza sighed and the little girl giggled. "You know… she's a lot like you, Taisa- stupid jokes and all."

"Well she's certainly _nothing_ like you, Hawkeye-Chuui."

"Hey!" Maro objected, "why not!"

'_Payback time…' _"Oh, your mother is absolutely horrible, Maro- always pointing her guns at people. Even the dog!"

"We do not talk about guns in this house, Taisa!" Riza snapped, unable to contain her irritation. Roy was clearly baffled- and rightly so, of course, knowing her and her guns. "I'm trying to raise her like a normal mother."

"Mommy's always very nice to me," said Maro, smiling contentedly. "She says you're really nice too, when you want to be."

"When I want to be? What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Nothing, sir. Maro, it's bedtime."

Maro ignored her, smiling, "and she says that you have eyes like obsid-obsid-obsidi…" she paused for a moment, screwing up her face in concentration, "…obsidian," she finished.

Roy grinned, looking over at Hawkeye, who was looking away. Slowly, he walked up behind her and slipped his arms around her waist, making sure to restrict the moment of her own, carefully. Placing his chin on her shoulder and angling his head to look at her face slightly, "your eyes are very pretty too, Chuui."

"Let go…" Riza mumbled stiffly.

"Such a delicate shade of mahogany that's never really red nor brown…"

"Sir-"

"Problem, Hawkeye-Chuui?"

"Not only is it inappropriate, sir…" she shivered as Roy brought one finger up and ran it down the back of her neck gently, "…but you must remember that we are in a child's bedroom…"

Maro didn't seem phased- after all, she had had a mother and father once and they had often expressed affection for each other in front of her, and if Riza was her mother, then, in her mind, Roy could only be a suitable man to call father.

"Night, Mommy. Night, Daddy."

Roy looked amused, but Riza looked a little betrayed- sort of 'whose side are you on?!'

"You heard her," said Roy, grinning, "say goodnight."

Riza turned her head- still bound by his arms- and glared at him.

"Is that any way to show respect for Daddy, Riza?" asked Roy, grinning.

"You're not her father, Taisa."

"And you're not her mother."

Something seemed to snap inside Riza just then, because she shoved him away, kissed little Maro goodnight, murmured, "sleep tight," and stormed out, leaving Roy to shut off the light and follow after her.

"You know I'm joking, right, Riza?"

"When did I tell you that you could call me that, Taisa?"

"You didn't," Roy admitted, "but it's such a pretty name."

"You should know by now, Taisa, flattery has no effect on me."

"Sorry…" said Roy, "but you know it's true."

Riza turned her back on him huffily, "there are some spare blankets in the cupboard over there."

"It's fine," said Roy, coming to stand in front of her and placing his hands on her hips gently but firmly, "I'll just let you keep me warm."

"Taisa!" Riza warned, glaring again as she tried to shift his cast-iron hands. "Get your hands off me."

Roy gripped her hips a little tighter, pressing the shapeless fabric against her smooth curves and causing a small whimper to escape her.

"T-taisa, stop."

"Riza, while I find that little noise you just made unbelievably sexy, I'd rather you called me Roy."

Riza slapped at his hands desperately, having removed her guns and set them aside upon entering the house, "please stop!"

"This position is completely innocent," said Roy, grinning, "but I find the fact that your mind has evidently moved onto a dirtier subject quite entertaining."

"This is _not_ innocent, Taisa- you're not allowed to touch me this way!"

Roy just shook his head, kneading her sides with his hands gently, and kissing her neck as she let out a small involuntary moan.

"T-taisa!"

"Mommy," came a small voice from the doorway, "are you and Daddy fighting?"

Riza couldn't answer for a moment, walking a few steps backwards and sinking onto the couch as Roy released her, "I thought I told you to go to bed, Maro," she said softly.

"Don't fight!" the little one whimpered, "please don't fight! My old Mommy and Daddy used to fight…"

"Hey! Don't cry, baby!" said Riza quickly, tossing her foster daughter a forlorn look.

"I'm sorry, Maro," said Roy, sitting down beside Riza and slipping a loose arm around her waist. "You don't need to worry about your Mommy and I. I love her very much."

Riza blushed a bright pink but nodded and let Maro scramble into her lap for a hug.

"I'm glad," the little girl whispered.

Riza smiled shakily, "me too," she said, looking up at Roy as she hugged Maro close to her chest.

"Do you love Daddy too, Mommy?"

"He… Daddy means a lot to me, Maro."

Maro giggled, delighted, "are you both gonna kiss now?"

Roy looked at Riza and shook his head, "sorry, kiddo- not gonna happen."

Maro looked a little put out, "my old Mommy said that when two people like each other a whole lot, they kiss. Can't you please? So I know you're not fighting?"

Riza leaned over and kissed Roy on the cheek quickly, before running a hand through her foster daughter's hair and sighing, "ready for bed now?"

"Nu-uh! Not 'till Daddy kisses you back!"

Roy used his arm around Riza's waist to pull her towards him, gently but inexorably, and touch his lips to hers while Riza just sat as still as possible and let him finish, blushing profusely.

Maro giggled again and nodded, "night Mommy, night Daddy."

Riza found herself smiling as she stood and picked up the five-year-old angel to carry her into her own room. When she came back out into the living room, she found that Roy had pulled out the blankets she had indicated earlier and set himself up on the couch.

"Uhm… you know, I do have a guest room," she volunteered, gesturing down the hall.

"Later," said Roy, "I'm not all that tired. Why don't you sit down and talk to me?"

Feeling very much like she was walking into a trap, Riza sat beside him cautiously and he opened the blankets to let her in before pulling her against him to lay down over the length of the couch. Head against his chest, Riza surprised herself by not caring to protest her position- instead, deciding to savour it while she could. "About what?" she murmured eventually.

"Nothing in particular…"

"You want to talk about _us_, don't you?" Riza guessed, sighing. Roy didn't reply. "You told Maro that you loved me- was that true?"

"Do you honestly doubt it?"

"…No."

Roy lifted his right hand into her hair and removed her clip, letting it fall over them both prettily. "You said that you cared about me," he said then, in much the same way, "is that all?"

Riza was silent for a while, bringing a soft white hand up to his chest, by her face, and breathing in deeply, her soft exhalation causing ripples in the thin fabric of his dress shirt a moment later. "I always hoped so…" she whispered.

"But…?"

"I'm not sure," she closed her eyes, "I know what would happen if I said 'yes'- what would you say if I said that I didn't love you?"

"I'd be disappointed," said Roy, playing with her hair sadly, "but I'd respect that. You're not like other women, Riza. Your love would mean more to me than anything else anyone could give me and I wouldn't want to hurt you."

Deeming this a good response, Riza nodded, "I'm glad. What would you say if I said that I hated you?"

"What would you say if I was being transferred back to Eastern?"

"Then I'd find a way to come with you."

"What if," Riza said, "I explicitly told you to stay behind."

"I'd want to know why."

"What if I replied that I never wanted to see you again?"

"I… don't know what I'd do…" he sighed miserably. "So you really don't like me at all?"

Riza chuckled and titled her head up a little to kiss his chin, a wide, cat-like grin spreading over her pretty features, "I said '_if_', Taisa."


End file.
